Local Energy

The Current Japanese Situation

Yuppy: Japanese energy self-supporting rate is only 6%.(Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry HP, 2012)
In addition, we use a lot of fossil fuel, so there is also a problem that greenhouse gas has been emitted…

Chamiko: Japan seems to have many serious problems… So what do you think of this idea?

Change from Fossil Fuel to Recyclable Energy!

Chamiko: Recyclable energy doesn't reduce resources, and is eco-friendly! What is more, we wouldn't have to buy it from foreign countries because recyclable energy exists in nature. Energy self-supporting rate will increase, won't it?

Yuppy: You're right. But recyclable energy has some weak points."

1.Supply of solar power generation or wind power generation counts on climate and time.

2.High cost. If we change fossil fuel into recyclable energy, the people may have to pay more money.
Low conversion efficiency. The electrical energy is little, comparing used energy. That of wind power generation is only 25%, though it is known as high conversion efficient renewable energy. ("Potential and limit of Natural Energy", 2010)

3.Sometimes facilities make noise and vibration or spoil views, which don't adjust surroundings. For example, wind power generation often criticized for noises of motor and wind.

Chamiko: It seems very difficult to shift to recyclable energy completely…

Yuppy: We have to figure out. But, how?

Local Energy Generation and Consumption

Chamiko: Recyclable energy has some difficult points? …Oh, I got an idea! If it is impossible to shift as the whole country, why don't you shift only in cities or areas within the possible range? In other words, we produce necessary energy in areas. That is the idea of local production for local consumption of energy!

Yuppy: I have often heard about that of food, but energy? What do you mean?

Chamiko: I mean trying to make sustainable society by our power generation! By that…

・The cost to send energy to other areas will be reduced.

・It will be possible to use surplus power generated in each area.

Yuppy: This idea cannot waste energy and solve the current Japanese problems! Moreover, the rate of recyclable energy will increase!

Chamiko: Yeah. And we can feel energy problems familiar with us, so we will be more interested in power saving, I think.

A Concept Named "Sustainable Zone"

Yuppy: Speaking of local energy, there is an idea named "Energy Sustainable Zone"!

Energy Sustainable Zone is proposed by Kurasaka Hideo, a professor of social science course of Chiba University. That refers to the areas where recyclable energy can cover all of energy demand.

Yuppy: Sustainable means that people can live only by recyclable energy? Sounds like an excellent idea.

Chamiko: Growing energy self-supporting rate in each area will also help raise that in the whole country.

Yuppy: Let's see, energy self-supporting rate in each prefecture is…

Tokyo: 0.49%, the last place in 47 prefectures

Oita: 26.87%, the first place in 47 prefectures (both in "Sustainable Zone" HP 2014).

Yuppy: There is a big gap… How can we increase the self-supporting rate?

Power Generation by Suitable Ways to Areas!

Chamiko: Hey, Yuppy. What kind of natural energy is used in Oita?

Yuppy: Blip… Supply of geothermal power generation is highest in the whole country. Wow, the rate is 70% or more, including the energy generated by geothermal heat! ("Diagram Data of Nuclear Power Plant and Radioactivity", 2011) But it seems difficult for some other areas to do like this…

Chamiko: Right, how about making use of energy resources and ways of power generation which suit each area? For example, like Oita, the areas which have volcanoes or hot springs generate electricity by geothermal power generation. Biomass by excreta of stock is suitable to where dairy or stockbreeding is popular, and the cities should use biomass by waste or solar power generation.

Yuppy: It seems efficient to generate electricity by suitable ways to areas' characteristics!

Chamiko: Locally generated, locally used. That is a way to increase energy self-supporting rate, isn't it?